In this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 photo, Norwood Thomas, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, waits for his departure at the airport in Norfolk, Va. Thomas is embarking on a 10,500-mile journey to Australia to visit his wartime girlfriend after more than 70 years apart. (Hyunsoo Leo Kim/The Virginian-Pilot via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

SYDNEY — A 93-year-old World War II veteran from the United States embraced his wartime girlfriend in Australia in their reunion Wednesday after more than 70 years apart.

Norwood Thomas and 88-year-old Joyce Morris laughed as they wrapped their arms around each other after Thomas flew from Virginia to the southern Australian city of Adelaide to reconnect with his long-lost love.

"This is about the most wonderful thing that could have happened to me," Thomas said, in a reunion broadcast on Channel 10's "The Project."

"Good," Morris replied with a laugh. "We're going to have a wonderful fortnight."

Morris was a 17-year-old British girl and Thomas was a 21-year-old paratrooper when they first met in London shortly before D-Day. After the war, he returned to the U.S. The pair wrote letters to each other, and Thomas asked Morris to come to the U.S. to marry him. But somehow Morris misunderstood and thought he'd found someone else, so she stopped writing.

In this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 photo, Norwood Thomas, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, answers a question of airline employees about his military service before flying to Australia at the airport in Norfolk, Va. (Hyunsoo Leo Kim/The Virginian-Pilot via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

In this Feb. 7, photo, Norwood Thomas, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, answers a question of airline employees about his military service before flying to Australia at the airport in Norfolk, Va.

Sign up for the Early Bird BriefGet the military's most comprehensive news and information every morning